Louisiana Territory

 

The Louisiana Territory

When early frontiersmen moved past the Appalachian Mountains, the westward movement rapidly reached the Mississippi River. St. Louis soon became the “gateway” to the West. Trappers and mountain men reported tales about their travels throughout the Rocky Mountains and the resources found there. The Lewis and Clark Expedition commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson returned with artifacts, information about Native American tribes and specimens of plant life found in the recent acquisition of the Louisiana Territory.

Reports filtered back over the years about the Native Americans who peopled the region. The reception among the tribes was often friendly, but the white encroachment of land and decimation of the buffalo herds encouraged hostility against the white men’s expansion.

The following sites provide more information about this area:
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Purchase
www.americanhistory.about.com/od/thomasjefferson/a/tj_lapurchase.htm
www.legendsofamerica.com/mo-stlouis.html
www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark.